Archive for July, 2007

Samsung Bordeaux 720p Additions: 23″, 32″, 40″

Samsung adds three more to its Bordeaux line of LCD TVs. All three have a pixel format of 1366 x 768. Not quite 720p since the scaler chip inside of the set will need to scale the video up from 1280 x 720 to 1366 x 768. As mentioned in a number of previous posts, [...]

United Business: 15.4″ LCD

The international United Business cabins will have upgraded seats that include a 15.4″ LCD, a USB port, and an iPod adapter. The iPod adapter allows the lucky business-class traveler to not only charge his/her iPod but also access both music and video. The seat can recline flat (180-degrees) and allow for folks that are up [...]

Apple iPhone: 270,000 in 30 Hours

Apple’s third quarter ended June 30, just 30 hours after the iPhone became available to the public. 270,000 iPhones were sold in 30 hours. That’s fantastic! A simple calculation results in revenues ranging from $135 million to $162 million. That’s $4.5 million to $5.4 million, AN HOUR. Due to activation problems, AT&T reported total iPhone [...]

Sony VGP-D24WD1: 24″ LCD Monitor

Bland but simple. Sony and expensive. $1060 expensive, according to Akihabara via Engadget. You can get the Samsung SyncMaster 245BW 24″ LCD monitor for about half that price at Dell.com or opt for Dell’s 27″ offering for about the same price. So what’s so special about Sony’s VGP-D24WD1? The 1000:1 contrast ratio, 1920 x 1200 [...]

Vizio 52″ LCD TV: US$2,200

According to DigiTimes, Vizio will be introducing a 52″ 1080p LCD TV in North America with a very aggressive price point of $2,200 in August. As with most of Vizio’s LCDs, this 52″ will have a IPS panel from LG.Philips LCD (LPL). The 52″ 1080p Vizio will be available at Costco.
Amtran Technology, a Taiwan-based integrator, [...]

Sony Alpha Reader

This is a first in a infinite series (or until the aReader breaks down) of my experiences with Sony’s aReader. I have been given an opportunity to test the aReader by a good friend and I have started this blog post to record my experiences. First of all, I have had the aReader for about [...]

Sony Low Price Strategy in Taiwan

Sony’s KLV-32U300A, a 32″ LCD TV, will hit a NT$29,900 (about US$900) price starting in August according to Sony Taiwan. In comparison, Sony’s KDL-32SL130, also a 32″ LCD TV, is $1149.99 at Costco.com as of July 16, 2007. Definitely, the models are different, but the $250 difference is fairly significant. More significant is the brand [...]

Forhouse Degussa JV Opens PMMA Molding Compound Plant

On July 12, Taiwan-based Forhouse and German-based Degussa AG held an opening ceremony for their joint venture to manufacture optical-grade polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) molding compounds for light guide panels and diffuser films used in backlight units (BLUs). Degussa hols 51% and Forhouse holds the rest. The PMMA plant will have a 40,000-ton annual capacity. [...]

Opel GTC Concept Car: OSRAM LEDs

Opel’s GTC Concept Car uses LEDs from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors (OSRAM) for external lighting, namely parking lights, daylight running lights, and fog lights. OSRAM used thin-film technology that substantially increases brightness that allow the reduction of the number LEDs needed for external lighting on automobiles to just a few. OSRAM’s Golden Dragon LEDs illuminate the [...]

Dell 15.4″ Notebooks: LED Backlights

According to DigiTimes referring to its source The Chinese-language Economic Daily, Dell will introduce 15.4″ notebook PCs with LED backlights at the end of 2007. Forward Electronics, a Taiwan-based integrator, will be putting Dell’s notebook PC together using LED-backlit LCD panels manufactured by Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT). Both Forward Electronics and CPT are subsidiaries of [...]